How to Make Crispy Potato Wedges

There’s nothing quite like perfectly crispy potato wedges, golden brown on the outside and tender on the inside. In this recipe, we’ll show you how to achieve that irresistible crunch by using a simple yet effective trick: pre-boiling the potatoes with salt and baking soda. This method ensures a crunchy coating by creating an alkaline environment that breaks down the pectin in the potatoes, allowing the surface starch to crisp up beautifully in the oven. Whether you prefer your potatoes peeled or with skins, follow these steps for the ultimate crispy potato wedges, serve with home made mayo or ajoli, to create a sure hit!

Crispy Potato Wedges recipe

Recipe by Em

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calorieskcal

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Optional: garlic powder, paprika, chili flakes, thyme or other seasonings

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C)
• Wash and cut the potatoes into wedges, peel them if you prefer, or leave the skins on
• Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the boiling water
• Carefully add the potato wedges to the boiling water, boil for about 5-7 minutes, or until the potatoes are slightly soft but not falling apart
• Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them sit for a minute to steam dry, give the colander a good shake to rough up the edges of the potatoes
• Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and any other desired seasonings, toss to coat evenly
• Spread the potato wedges out on a baking sheet
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy
• Remove from the oven and serve

Notes

• I prefer keeping the skins, it also looks really nice

Why This Works

Adding baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) to the boiling water creates an alkaline environment. This changes the surface of the potatoes, breaking down the pectin and drawing starch to the surface. When the potatoes are then roasted in the oven with oil, the starch on the surface becomes crispy, resulting in a crunchy exterior. The salt in the water also helps to season the potatoes from the inside out, enhancing their flavor.